Seventy-five percent of all young adults in Louisiana between the ages of 17 and 24 do not qualify for military service, primarily because of educational shortcomings, obesity, and a record of crime or drug abuse, according a report released by retired military leaders. The study also concluded the nation is at risk of having an even smaller recruiting pool in the future without improvements to the child care system.

The report, titled "Child Care and National Security," draws its findings from several scholarly articles as well as data from nongovernmental and government agencies, including the federal Department of Defense, Louisiana's Department of Education, the Annie E. Casey Foundation's Kids Count Data Center, and the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children. The report argues there is a "scientific consensus" that brain development from birth to age five sets the stage for a child's future success.

The report found that many families have trouble finding child care, and even when it was available, the service is often low-quality. However, childcare is a necessity for many: More than two-thirds of children under age 6 in Louisiana, or 68 percent of preschoolers, have all available parents in the workforce.

The report cites a long-term study of more than 1,300 children that found that children in higher-quality child care were better prepared for school at age four compared to children in lower-quality child care. The report found the children who received high-quality care were still performing slightly above their peers at age 15. The study also found that children in higher-quality child care had fewer behavior problems at age 15 compared to children in lower-quality child care.

Children who are overweight or obese in early childhood are also four times as likely to become overweight or obese adults, the report stated. Although the report found 20 percent of children in the U.S. are currently overweight, it stated child care that emphasizes healthy eating and physical activity can help reduce children's risk of obesity.

The report also mentions the following statistics:

Less than 15 percent of Louisiana's at-risk children from birth to age 3 have access to publicly funded child care.

The average annual cost of center-based child care for infants is $5,754, which is not much less than the average cost of in-state tuition for one year at a public university in Louisiana ($8,130).

Out of the 1,517 center-based child care facilities in Louisiana, none have received national accreditation as high-quality centers.

The report was released Thursday (March 1) by Mission: Readiness, an organization comprised of retired admirals and generals who believe national security can be strengthened by ensuring children stay in school and out of trouble. Two retired generals and a retired admiral from Louisiana presented the report at the State Capitol Thursday alongside State Rep. Stephen Carter (R-Baton Rouge) and State Rep. Patricia Smith (D-Baton Rouge), according to a news release.

U.S. Marine Corps Major General Ron Richard, U.S. Coast Guard Rear Admiral David Callahan, and U.S. Army Brigadier General Gary Jones urged state legislators to prioritize funding for early care and education, particularly the Child Care Assistance Program. CCAP is funded to provide ensures families access to high-quality child care when parents are working or attending school. CCAP enrollment has decreased from almost 40,000 children in 2007 to 17,000 in 2017 due to funding cuts.

"We believe that prioritizing funding for high-quality early care and education is essential to the health and development of Louisiana children and it is an issue of national security because it helps address the primary disqualifiers for military service," Richard said in a released statement.

Their advocacy comes after CCAP was closed to new children last July, and the wait list has grown to almost 4,000 children. Congress recently passed a resolution that included provisions for early learning, and although the funding is only available for two years the Louisiana Policy Institute for Children stated the $5.8 billion for the Child Care Development Block Grant will pave the way toward the restoration of more than 22,000 slots that have been cut from Louisiana's CCAP.

The military report's findings come amid a renewed focus on early education. The Louisiana Policy Institute for Children worked with LSU and Loyola University New Orleans to release a report in January showing child care's impact on the state's workforce and economy. "Losing Ground: How Child Care Impacts Louisiana's Workforce Productivity and the State Economy," found that the availability of child care and preschool affects the ability of parents to work if they have young children.

The institute's study stated 14 percent of parents turned down a promotion because of child care issues while 18.5 percent went from full-time to part-time work. Additionally, the report stated 16 percent of parents had to quit their job, and more than 40 percent had to miss work or leave early during a 90-day period. The report estimated Louisiana loses more than $1 billion a year due to lost wages and productivity connected to child care.

The cost of child care and early education can be out of reach for many low- and middle-income families, some experts say. Data from a report released in February by the Center for American Progress found that early education for infants in Louisiana can be more than $924 monthly per child. The costs for toddlers and preschool can be more than $635 and $593 monthly per child, respectively.

"Unfortunately, the current state of early learning in the nation puts the burden squarely on the shoulders of families, and that burden is often too heavy to bear. As a result, only upper-income families can afford high-quality early childhood programs," the report stated.

Child care expenses are primarily driven by teacher pay and benefits, but the report stated current compensation levels still leave many early childhood teachers living in poverty, forcing them to rely on public assistance programs. The report urges parents and policymakers to demand "a significant new public investment in early childhood education."

Scroll through the table below to find links to the reports on early childhood education.